English Language Arts and Reading.5.6.G

The student is expected to

evaluate details read to determine key ideas;

comprehension TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts.

While reading, students should look for relationships between the details and how the details are organized in order to determine what key idea(s) the details focus on and support. If students are unable to determine the key ideas in a text, they cannot then determine the overarching message of a text.
to make a judgment based on criteria and standards, determine, or form an opinion about the significance, quality, or value of something in relation to its intended purpose
Students should understand that some details will not only support but also help to fill in the picture of the key idea. These details will tell a reader what is happening, who is affected, and why the idea matters or is being discussed in the first place. Other details cover fewer specifics and usually provide general information that adds to the background knowledge. Students need to consider the intended purpose of a detail in order to evaluate whether the detail is effective.

Research

1. Accardi, M., Chesbro, R., & Donovan, K. (2018). Outlining informational text: A learning transfer tool. Science Scope, 42(3), 34+. Retrieved from https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A556734510/PROF?u=tea&sid=PROF&xid=c17eb615

Summary: This article features an instructional sequence that takes students through the notetaking process. The purpose of the process is to move students away from simple bulleted lists toward notes that demonstrate, through the organization of details and key ideas, that students have synthesized and evaluated what they've read. Through a more sophisticated notetaking process, students can better understand and engage with content text.

2. Hedin, L. R., & Conderman, G. (2010). Teaching students to comprehend information text through rereading. The Reading Teacher, 63(7), 556-565. doi:10.1598/RT.63.7.3

Summary: Hedin and Conderman describe specific strategies that students can use to make meaning of the text and increase reading and writing comprehension. The study reveals strategies are successful with struggling readers. The approach uses paraphrasing and rereading to identify the placement of the main ideas, key terms and definitions. The approach also includes pronouns, appositives, or text enhancements. Charts, samples, and references are included.